Pneumatic tire



(No Model.)

J. D. KEATING. PNEUMATIC TIRE.

No. 494,575. Patented Apr.v 4, 1893.

'NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN D. KEATING, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

PNEUMATIC TIRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 494,575, dated April 4, 1893.

Application filed May 23, 1892. Serial No. 433,958. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known thatI, JOHN D. KEATING, acitizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Springfield,in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Pneumatic Tires, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and letters of reference marked thereon.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate like parts.

Figure l is a transverse sectional view illustrating my invention, the door in the outer tube being shown closed. Fig. 2 is a like view showing the door in the outer tube or covering opened for the admission or removal of the inner tube. Fig. 3 is a view as seen from the side next the rim with the door closed, and Fig. 4 is a like view illustratinga modification in the shape of the door or opening part. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 55, and showing the form of the rim in cross-section.

In detail a indicates the outer tube, 6 the door arranged therein, a the apron overlapping the inner edge of the door, (1 the inner tube, 8 the inflating tube or valve and g the rim. The outertube or coveringmaybe made in the usual and well known manner, and I prefer to cement the same to the rim as heretofore done with the exception that it is left uncemented for a short distance adjacent to the door. In the side of the cover which lies next the rim I out through the material upon three sides leaving the fourth side intact to act as a hinge, thus enabling me to turn back the flap or door thus formed to allow of the insertion or removal of the inner tube. The size of the opening made should, of course, be sufficient to allow of the insertion or removal of the inner tube and its shape may be either rectangular or oblong with rounded ends as shown in Fig. 4. The most simple method of inserting the inner tube is to attach a piece of twine at one end, secure a ball, marble or other similar device to the twine at its opposite end, pass the ball into the outer tube and revolve the tire until the ball has traversed the entire circumference carrying the end of the string with it, then draw upon the string until the inner tube is in position.

to pass through the opening and will afterward return to its normalposition, thus overlapping and breakingthe joints. The outer surface of the door or flap is preferably provided with bosses h which project a short dis tance therefrom and the rim is provided with indentations, openings or recesses g to register with and receive the bosses h, and as the expansion of the inner tube will tend also to expand the outertube and force the door outwardly, it will result in forcing the bosses into the recesses and prevent all danger of the door being drawn outwardly at the side as the same can only be opened bylifting the-covering from the rim and turning the door upon its hinges, and drawing it outwardly at one side between the rim and outer tire, and this it will be seen can only be done when the inner tube is not inflated. It will readily be seen that slight projections upon the outer surface of the rim entering recesses in the outer surface of the door would operate in the same manner as if the bosses were upon the door and recesses in the rim. The inflating tube or valve passes through an opening in the door as before described, and also through an opening in the rim made to receive it, and this tube will serveto prevent danger of the door 1. The combination with a wheel rim having a series of recesses in its periphery, of a hollow tire mounted on said rim and having an openingin its inner face and a flap hinged to said tire and adapted to cover said opening therein, said flap having a series of projections adapted to register with the recesses in the rim, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a Wheel rim having a series of recesses in its periphery of a hollow tire mounted on said rim and having an opening in its inner face, a flap hinged to said tire and adapted to cover the opening therein, said flap having a series of projections adapted to register with the recesses in the rim, and an apron,of flexible material,secured to said flap and projecting from the edges thereof, said apron being adapted to close the interstices between said flap and the edges of the opening in the tire, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a hollow tire having an opening in its face, of a flap hinged to said tire and adapted to close said opening, and an apron of flexible material secured to said flap and projecting beyond the edges thereof said apron being adapted to close the interstices between said flap and the edges of the opening in the tire, substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination with a hollow tire having an opening in its-face, of a flap hinged to said tire and adapted to close said opening, and an apron of flexible material secured to the inner side of said flap and projecting beyond the edges thereof, said apron being adapted to close the interstices between said flap and the edges of the opening in the tire, substantially as set forth.

JOHN D. KEATING.

Witnesses:

R. M. KEATING, ALLEN WEBSTER. 

